Grades describe a student’s performance at a
particular level. A grading system usually includes a range of numbers, letters
or descriptors indicating a level of achievement such as fail, pass or merit.

Grading systems and
marking criteria vary among different education systems and often between
different levels of education. Grades can be awarded based on internal
(institutional) assessment or external examination, or both. The very nature of
grading systems and grading cultures makes it difficult if not impossible to
accurately convert grades from one system to another.

Very few official
grade conversion tables are in operation between higher education systems.
Accordingly, in the majority of cases, grade conversions are made directly by
the admitting institution.

It is not advisable
to undertake to convert grades when evaluating the information presented in
academic documents (e.g. transcripts): grades are not translatable. It is
important to examine the grades as presented in the official documents and look
to understand them in the context of the education system of the country of
origin to make the best possible assessment of the performance of a learner.

Further information

If you have a question about the grading scale system in one of the ENIC-NARIC
countries listed in the right column,
please click on the name of the country and contact the national information centre of that country for expert assistance.